One of the quieter events of the St. Patrick’s Festival is the St. Patrick’s Lecture’ which usually takes place near the beginning of the festival activities. It takes place this year on Tuesday evening, March 10 beginning at 6.00 p.m.
Often, the event which allows for discussion after the presentation, is lively with interest. This year it takes place as usual at the Cultural Centre on a somewhat unusual topic: Praedial Larceny: A Scourge on Agricultural Production and Food Security.
The presenter to be Miss Gracelyn Cassell who is currently the Resident Tutor and Head of the UWI School of Continuing Studies, now called The UWI Open Campus Site Montserrat.
The 2020 Lecture will explore the history of a problem that affected our enslaved ancestors in Montserrat and in the wider Caribbean and continues to affect us today. In many jurisdictions, praedial larceny is reported as being on the increase, resulting in huge losses for farmers, fishers, and families. The search for deterrents and workable solutions, including the use of technology, has intensified.
The presentation will take the form of an interactive discussion intended to capture the experiences of victims as well as perpetrators of a crime that was once punishable by flogging.
It is anticipated that realistic solutions will emerge from the discourse and can be presented for consideration by Government officials and policymakers.
